The Music Teacher
by awesomenessisme
Summary: Bella is a 27 year old living with her niece, Nessie. What happens at Parent-Teacher Conferences, when Bella meets Mr. Cullen the Music teacher? ExB, AH.
1. In Which Bella Meets Mr Cullen

**A/N: The problem with me is that I write a story without much planning it out [DISCLAIMER] which is why I'm not Stephenie Meyer [END DISCLAIMER] and which is the reason that this story is up today instead of next year. Also, Nessie's name is not Renesmee, it's Ness, but her nickname is still Nessie because I took pity on her.**

**Bella's POV:**

I adjusted the cute little red bow in Nessie's hair, and stifled a sob. I couldn't help thinking how much her parents would like to see this, her last parent conference before high school. Imagine, Nessie, an eighth grader!

At that point I let a single tear drop down my face, leaving a slight mascara trail.

"Bella." Nessie said comfortingly. Unfortunately she could tell that I was thinking about her parents, my much older brother James and his wife Victoria, who had died five years earlier because of a gang fight that they walked through. Needless to say, they where proclaimed dead from the bullets a second after the ambulance came.

"Now I wish that I hadn't run out of waterproof mascara." Alice said mournfully. We had been friends since University, which wasn't actually too long ago. What would I have thought if I saw myself in the future, as a twenty-seven year old taking care of her dead brother's fourteen year old daughter with a job in a grocery store? I would have thought that there was no way, but things change.

"Sorry, sorry." I sniffled, wiping my eyes.

"Stop wiping your eyes or the mascara will go everywhere." Rosalie, my other friend said in a bored tone.

I was about to retort that I did not care, not one bit, when Nessie stood up and said in a anxious voice, "Well… how do I look?".

I looked at her and sighed. She had inherited her dad's brown hair, but her mom's green eyes, curly hair, and pale skin. She looked good in anything, but now, when she was wearing a red dress with black tights and red Converse shoes (I couldn't talk her out of them, even though I knew perfectly well they'd look good with her dress) she looked stunning. I couldn't believe that this was the girl who had been wailing to me about not having a boyfriend yesterday.

"You look great, Ness." I said, hugging her.

"Yeah. Make the girls jealous!"

"Well, I think that maybe the red flats I had bought you would look better…"

I shot Alice a death glare.

"…but I'm wrong!" Alice cheerfully finished.

"Thanks."

We stood awkwardly before Alice and Rosalie said that they should go, and after hugging me and wishing Nessie good luck, practically ran out the front door, where I could hear Alice's yellow Porsche being driven away.

"C'mon, kiddo. Let's go."

Nessie half-smiled.

"Okay."

We walked out the front door to my truck in silence, except for the soft thuds of Ness's shoes and the squeaks of my trainers. I hadn't bothered dressing up much, just a black shirt with my nicest pair of jeans and my jade necklace and a dash of light pink lipstick. What was the point of dressing up? First off all, there will be no hot guys there (probably) and none of them will want to date a girl with luggage? Because a fourteen year old niece is luggage, no matter how you look at her.

I cracked open the door to my truck and smiled. My truck is just so nice and warm and safe. It feels like nothing bad could happen in it, but everything good.

"Bella. Are we going or not?"

I quickly snapped out of it and chuckled nervously.

"Just hit me if I do that again."

"Sure." Nessie snapped, and it kind of hurt, even though I knew she was scared. They would be giving out report cards at the parent teacher conferences too, so that must hurt more than just the wacky-aunt-talking-to-the-teachers thing.

We drove the few miles to Forks Middle School, and I smiled a bit.

"We're here." I said.

Ness looked anywhere but the school.

"I know." She said quietly.

"Um, you've kind of been quiet… does this mean you have bad grades?" I asked.

She bit her lip. Something she got from me. Then she muttered, "Dunno."

I nodded. I mean, I do care about her grades, but I care in a sisterly way. I was thirteen when she was born! She was practically a sister to me.

We walked to the school slowly, since Nessie decided to drag her feet on the ground.

"Let's just get it over with." I muttered.

Then we went to the math room, where the teacher, whose name I didn't quite catch talked enthusiastically about Nessie's promising ability, but how she should study more.

"Yes, yes, thank you." I said when the poor teacher looked like she had run out of things to say, and hurried Nessie to the next room. All the teachers -except for Ness's art teacher, who vaguely said she was great and her drawings had a lot of depth- basically said the same things. She has promise, she should just apply herself, blah blah blah. Nessie didn't listen, and to tell you the truth, neither did I. I nearly remarked to Nessie that we should just skip out on the music teacher, who was the last teacher, but we had already walked to his door and so it would be a shame.

Besides, he has Nessie's report card.

I impatiently knocked on his door. I was getting pissed off. How do parents stand this?

"Come in." a voice said clearly.

I barged in, and Nessie, puzzled, just walked in after me.

I was about to shriek at him to just hand over the report card when I saw him.

Oh, I saw him.

I saw his messy bronze hair, his sharp jaw line, the dignity that he carried, and when he looked up, I saw his green eyes.

Oh. My. God.

"Hello," he said pleasantly, "my name is Edward Cullen."

**So, tell me if you like this story! I mean, I'll continue it, no matter what, but helpful criticism and upbeat remarks really help :D.**


	2. In Which Guitar Lessons Are Requested

**A/N: Well, so the next chapter is up! I'll also give a tribute to everyone that reviewed (pizziagirl, High Queen Susan the Gentle, alicecullenrocksforever, twilightlovr1995, Reviewer, Defunkitated Vampires, TeamAliceCullen (whoot to her :D), boconner8675, SweetSunriseSunsetSunburns, jaimelotr4ever, and fiction-is-my-addiction - I owe you guys a thanks!) and to TeamAliceCullen, who is the best ********.**

**Bella POV:**

"-Nessie is very good at playing the flute, and can you make sure she looks at these extra papers? She is above the level of her classmates, and I'd like her to practice some complicated tunes. So, could you do that for me?" he asked.

I nodded eagerly. Anything for you, Mr. Cullen, anything for you. Gosh. He was just so… perfect. And I hadn't thought that about a guy since my last boyfriend, who turned out to be gay.

But let's not think about Tyler, shall we?

Anyway, I took the papers and after looking at them for a bit, remembered why I never played the flute. How does Ness read this? I'd have to ask her later. She went out of the room thirty minutes ago, and I don't think she went to the bathroom. She's probably texting Jacob, her best friend. Well, to be fair, I have been in here a long time. Almost an hour.

But it has been one of the happiest hours of my life.

"-and that's it then!" he ended cheerfully.

Wait. What?

Nessie barged in.

"Come on Bella, let's go home." She whined.

No. No! I'll never see him again if I don't say something!

"Um, can you play the flute?" I asked in desperation.

"Mr. Cullen can play everything. Let's go!!"

I didn't have any time to think before I blurted out, "Do you know where I can get guitar lessons?"

He cleared his throat.

"Well, I do teach guitar…"

"Great, when can I have a lesson? Just my dad… he used to play a guitar and you know, for memory's sake…" I babbled.

"Uh, do you have some time on Saturday? Wait, I'll write down my number."

I smiled in delight as he wrote down the number. Yes, I get his number!

"Okay, you do that." I squeaked.

Nessie stared at me in disbelief.

"Grandpa plays the guitar?" she asked me quietly.

I put my finger to my lips in the international "Shh!" gesture and Nessie snorted angrily.

"Yeah, I'll be going soon." She said, and slumped against the door, tapping her shoes.

"Here you go." Mr. Cullen said, handing over his number, which was written in small, yet elegant, cursive letters.

"Thanks." I said gratefully, tucking the number into my bag.

"Oh, and here is the report card."

"Thanks." I repeated, staring dreamily at him.

Then there was an impatient knock on the door.

"Can you hurry up?" someone squawked.

"So. See you tomorrow Nessie, and see you on Saturday."

I nodded. "Bye!"

"Bye." Nessie said shortly and dragged me out.

"Guitar lessons?!"

**Mwah. Anyway, hopefully I'll have the next chapter up in two days, and if I get enough reviews, you might even be looking at tomorrow :D. R&R!**


	3. In Which Bella Ponders Her Choice

**A/N: Okay. Since I promised that it would be up soon, it's up :D. Also, Twilight is not mine, and never will be. Sob. Unless… Anyway, I got asked to do Edward's POV. Hmm… maybe for the guitar lesson? And I got my first reviewer insult… but I'm cool with it xD. And thanks to the reviewers: chic chic BOOM!, TeamAliceCullen, Edwardfan1997, pieface01, 16hmmm16, Flora73, rlmont91, twilightsun01, jaimelotr4ever, GuitarGirlxoxo, HannaHElysE, twilightlovr1995, and Kynicole. And as always, thank you to TeamAliceCullen :D. Excuse me if this chapter is not the best, but it's thundering, so there are lots of loud noises to make me jump and hit the wrong key xP**

**Bella's POV:**

"Yes."

Rosalie sighed. "You must be joking."

Immediately after I got home, I called Alice and Rosalie, and after squealing into the receiver of the telephone, they hopped into Alice's car and drove over here.

"Bella. Couldn't you just ask him out?" Alice groaned.

"Nuh-uh. He'd say no, definitely."

Rosalie hit her head on the table.

"You could've tried. Now Alice is going to drag you to buy a guitar and a guitar case and guitar picks and guitar strings."

"You don't have to buy guitar picks." said a voice from the stairs.

"Nessie, I know you find this interesting, but go to bed already!" I said, turning to the stairs.

"I still can't believe you have the hots for my music teacher." Nessie grumbled as she ran up the stairs.

"You do know that Nessie will be permanently embarrassed?" Alice asked, helping herself to some chips I left on the table.

"Alice. Shut up already."

"I think it's good that Bella's getting over Tyler." Rose declared.

"You'd be happy if I dated a dog, if you thought I was getting over Tyler." I accused.

"True." Alice said.

I snorted and checked my watch before jumping up in surprise. I guess I'll just sleep seven hours.

"Get out, girls, the dog-dater needs to sleep."

"What kind of good-bye is that?" Alice asked, hugging me.

"A cranky one." Rose remarked, swatting me on the head.

And then they left. And then it was quiet. And then I had time to think.

Was it a good idea, asking for guitar lessons? Shouldn't I just ask him on a date and get on with it?

Or should I just stick to guys in my league?

I ran my hand through my thick hair. Would he date a girl that comes with a sulky fourteen year old?

But I already knew the answers to all my questions. Yes. No. No. Yes. Hopefully.

I smiled to myself and murmured aloud, "I guess I'll just have to wait and see."

**Ha ha! This is just a chapter where Bella thinks about her choice. Next chapter will be better, I promise. It will hopefully be up by tomorrow or in two days. It will be the getting ready for the guitar lesson, and the guitar lesson, and the chapter after that will be the guitar lesson in EPOV :D. Reviews motivate me (hint, hint).**


	4. In Which Alice Kills The Gnocchi

**A/N: Mwah. Here it is. I must thank everyone that reviewed: GuitarGirlxoxo, TeamAliceCullen, Cullenfan524, twilightsun01, and Werewolf-Fanwolf. Thanks to you guys! And thanks to everyone who favorite-d and/or storyalert-ed me! Also, it's Saturday now, and Bella's having her guitar lesson! But Alice and Rosalie have to get her ready first. Also, gnocchi are a kind of Italian dumpling. And this is my longest chapter yet, so if you have short term concentration like I do, be warned.**

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Twilight. I don't even own an I-Phone D:**

**Bella's POV:**

"Good-bye!" I called out to my boss, Angela, as I left the grocery store.

"Bye Bella! Wait, but you stay later than noon next Saturday, right?" Angela asked, running up to me.

I laughed. "If my guitar lessons go well, then maybe not. But I don't know, Angela. I'll check up with you on Monday."

Angela nodded. "Okay."

"Yep. So… bye?" I asked, unsure of whether she had anything else to ask me.

"Uh, yeah. Bye."

I sighed heavily and walked to my truck. I still had to have a shower, change, make some food, take my guitar, and drive to his house. And I have three hours to do all of that.

As soon as I reached the house, Alice and Rosalie ran out.

"I have your clothes ready!" Alice called.

"And I have the make-up." Rosalie said lightly before leaning in closer to me and stage-whispering, "I couldn't stop her, Bella, so don't be mad if Alice went over the top."

I laughed.

"It can't be that bad."

I was wrong.

A tight, black, short-sleeved shirt with matching skinny jeans. That wasn't too bad. But that… _thing._

"Alice, don't get angry at me… but what the hell is that?"

Alice folded her arms over her chest and said in a nervous voice, "Head-dresses are all the rage, Bella."

Rosalie bit her lip in an attempt not to laugh, while I glared at her. Couldn't she have _stopped _Alice from this heinous crime?

"If I wear that, I will look like an ostrich."

"Ostriches are very beautiful animals!" Alice pointed out in desperation. She knew I wasn't going to wear it.

"Well, if you don't take it away, I might just wear my long yellow skirt, the one you said was mustard colored, and socks-" I paused for dramatic effect "-with sandals."

Alice covered your ears. "Don't wear it, as long as you never mention the socks with – with – SANDALS!"

I snickered.

"But you still need accessories." Rosalie pointed out wisely.

"Yeah, it'll be like, totally plain if you don't add any." Nessie said, coming out of the kitchen with some ice-cream.

I rolled my eyes.

"What's the ice-cream for?" I asked after I had finished with my eye-rolling.

"Jake's coming over."

"Do you still have the scarf I bought you for your birthday?" Alice asked.

"Alice, it's not cold outside."

"You can wear it as a belt."

"But it's a scarf."

"Listen to me, woman! You. Will. Wear. It. As. A. Belt." Alice cried, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me."

Needless to say, we didn't talk any more about that until after I had gotten changed.

"So how exactly am I supposed to wear it so that it looks like a belt?" I asked.

Alice sighed, and grabbing the scarf, she managed to wind it around my waist.

"It still looks like a scarf."

Alice growled.

"When are you ready for your make-up?" Rosalie asked, changing the subject.

"Now."

"Okay, so I'll make your little Italian dumpling thingies." Alice said, and ran out of the room faster than I could say, "They're called gnocchi."

I shook my head sadly and sat down at a chair.

"Okay, Rose, do your magic." I said, closing my eyes.

It was a matter of moments before Rosalie's fingers where tying my hair in an elaborate yet simple style and putting on make-up and eyeliner and lipgloss. A lot of lipgloss.

"Jeez, Rosalie, do you think I'm going to get _kissed _today?" I snarled, yanking my head away.

"You never know." Rose said mysteriously and I shut up and let her stick some earrings into my ear.

"Okay, okay, how do I look?" I asked, squirming in my seat.

Rose wordlessly handed me the mirror and I stared at myself.

I had never considered myself _beautiful. _Girl-next-door, yeah. Not-that-ugly, yeah. But beautiful?

Yet now as I looked at myself in the mirror, I thought, I might even look…

"Preeeetty."

Rose glared at me.

"Beautiful."

I huffed. "Whatever."

I mean, my hair was up in a high pony tail, so that my "elegant neck" (Alice's words, not mine) would be showing, and my make-up was reasonable. A hell of a lot more than I usually put, but not as much as they had slathered on me the last time. I had looked like a hundred year old elephant.

"Better than last time."

"I was having a bad day." Rosalie muttered. It had not been one of her finest moments when I had looked in the mirror and shrieked.

"Bella?" Alice asked, popping her head out of the kitchen.

"Yes?" I asked lazily. Haha. No cooking for me!

"Is the spinach supposed to be floating above it?" she asked nervously.

"Alice!" I yelled.

"I take that as no." she said, before disappearing back into the kitchen.

I hit myself on the head with my hand.

"Rosalie. Can you go check if they're as bad as it seems?"

Rosalie walked out for a minute before running back in.

"Woah. She was underestimating them."

I smiled weakly. "I guess we'll just have to take out the garlic bread."

***

I arrived at Edward's doorstep an hour later with Billy's guitar in my hand.

I would never be able to thank Billy enough.

I took a deep breath and paused right before knocking the door, before realizing I was absolutely terrified, yet knocking anyway.

The door opened instantly.

"Oh, Miss. Swan. Come in." he said.

I was too busy staring at him. He looked even better with day-old stubble, and in a button-up blue shirt and jeans that fit in _just _the right places –

No. Stop, Bella, stop.

"What's that?" Edward asked, gesturing to the garlic bread.

I snapped out of my trance.

"Garlic bread."

He smiled crookedly and I nearly had a heart attack. Or turned into Jell-O.

"That's my favorite."

I shook my head. "Mine probably isn't."

He looked surprised. "Okay. Why'd you bring it?"

Oh God. How should I get rid of it? Should I stick it in a bush? Put it on the road and hope something heavy comes to crush it?

I must've looked like I had swallowed a hundred-dollar bill, so he said, "It's a nice surprise."

I instantly relaxed. Nice surprise. Favorite food. Well, he appreciates it.

Until he gets food poisoning.

"Well, since you're wasting your Saturday teaching me the guitar, I just thought I should thank you somehow."

"Oh, you didn't need too." He laughed.

"But, I'd just like to ask, how much does this cost, exactly? I mean, should I ask my boss for a raise…" I trailed off. I mean, damn, I'm all for these lessons, but ahem, I have a house to take care of. And a niece. And friends that come around so often they could practically live in the house.

"Oh. They're free. Until the third month." He said, walking into the house.

Ooh. A great bargain. A hottie and guitar lessons for free? Bring it _on_!

"So where am I going to learn the guitar?" I asked.

Not like it really mattered. I mean, I wouldn't care if I was taught to play the guitar in the bathroom! Just this guitar was kind of… heavy.

"The living room. First door on your right." He called.

Better than the bathroom.

I walked in and gasped.

Yep, _much_ better than the bathroom.

This room was _huge_. A pale yellow with a large blue couch and a pretty big TV. Well, compared to my cereal packet sized TV, anything was big.

I sat down on the couch and put down the guitar gingerly. I'm a walking disaster, and I wouldn't want myself to trip over it and crack my head over it, or worse, for me to actually step on the guitar and break it.

Edward returned with some sheets of paper.

"So, Mr. Cullen," I began, but was stopped when he said, "Please, call me Edward."

Hmm… he said _please, _so…

"Fine. So, Edward. How long have you been playing the guitar?" I asked. I want to know as much about him as possible.

"Since I was ten. But I've played the piano longer. It's the only instrument I like better than the guitar." Edward said, before picking up the guitar and asking, "May I?"

I nodded eagerly.

Then he started playing a tune that did not seem to come from the guitar that had sounded like a dead cat when I anxiously strummed it. When he was done, I applauded.

"Thank you, thank you very much." He drawled and I couldn't help laughing. These guitar lessons where a good idea after all.

**Okay, since this chapter is super-long (over 1,400 words!) the rest of the guitar lesson will be in Edward's POV. Mwah. Reviews motivate me to write a chapter faster, so R&R!! xD**

**Anyways. Next chapter, up… tomorrow? The next day? Maybe not tomorrow, I have a doctor's appointment, but if you readers ask me for it… ;D**

**Also, I haven't ever written a fourth chapter to a story, so don't kill me (wince).**


	5. In Which Edward Plays The Guitar

**A/N: Don't hurt me!! I'm sorry for not posting for so long, but I had writer's block, and then I had camp, and I'm going to the beach soon, so I have to write this chapter **_**now**_**! As always, thanks to TeamAliceCullen. **

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. I just play around with her characters.**

**Edward's POV:**

I waited patiently by the door. It was already one thirty. She should be here by now.

But everyone can be late, right?

I looked down at my button-up shirt and jeans. Nothing too fancy. Nothing that would make her think that I had a crush on her, or anything, like my last guitar student did.

But Victoria was delusional, and she wanted to think that I had a crush on her. I mean, do jeans and a t-shirt scream "I have a crush on you!" to anyone apart from Victoria?

I heard a truck drag its way up my street and resisted the temptation to open the door and get this over with.

I waited for a few seconds before I heard someone shuffle up the steps, pause for a second, before knocking the door once and withdrawing their hand quickly, as if to make sure that I did not hear her.

I took a deep breath and opened the door, smiling. My problems should not be other people's problems.

"Oh, Miss. Swan. Come in." I said, pretending to be surprised before really looking at her.

Skinny jeans. A tight black shirt. Earrings. A scarf, worn as a belt.

Bloody hell, she had really made an effort!

And then I noticed the bag that she was holding.

"What's that?" I asked, gesturing to the bag and sneaking a chance to stare at her while she looked down at it in surprise.

"Garlic bread." She stuttered.

I smiled and nearly laughed when I saw her stunned expression.

"That's my favorite."

She shook her head, causing her long brown hair to swish around. "Mine probably isn't."

I don't think I've ever met someone who said that about their cooking, but okay…

"Okay. Why'd you bring it?"

She looked panicked at this question, and her eyes darted around, like she was trying to think of a place to throw it away.

"It's a nice surprise." I amended hastily.

She relaxed and even smiled a bit.

"Well, since you're wasting your Saturday teaching me the guitar, I just thought I should thank you somehow." She said cheerfully.

"Oh, you didn't need too." I laughed. Victoria never brought any food, only champagne, and that was once, on the very last lesson… No. Stop, Edward.

"But, I'd just like to ask, how much does this cost, exactly? I mean, should I ask my boss for a raise…" She asked with a slightly worried tone, and I wondered exactly how much a grocery store employee earns.

"Oh. They're free. Until the third month." I said kindly, walking into the house. Maybe I was bending it a bit too far, but whatever. Nessie was one of the best students in the class, and even though I gave her all A's, I always thought that she deserved more for working so hard, and now I was repaying her! Or her guardian, anyway…

"So where am I going to learn the guitar?" she asked, following me into the house.

"The living room. First door on your right." I called, going into my study to get some papers.

Get the papers, go into the living room, get the garlic bread, put it in the kitchen... My head was buzzing from all of this.

I quickly walked into my sunny living room and caught her admiring it. I smirked a bit. I'll have to thank Esme.

"So, Mr. Cullen," she started, but she paused when I said, "Please, call me Edward."

"Fine. So, Edward. How long have you been playing the guitar?" she asked, unconsciously fingering her guitar.

"Since I was ten. But I've played the piano longer. It's the only instrument I like better than the guitar." I said truthfully, before picking up the guitar and asking, "May I?"

She nodded, staring at me like she was bewitched.

I started playing the House of the Rising Sun. It was my favorite song to play, and I knew it by heart. I had even begun to write a kind of remix for it.

But it was funnier to listen to Bella. She kept mumbling about how when she played it, it sounded like a dead cat. I nearly messed up a few times.

She applauded when I was done.

"Thank you, thank you very much." I drawled, and she laughed.

Maybe guitar lessons weren't so bad after all.

**Okay, this is only the part that we all read last chapter, but who cares! It's up, and I'm going to the beach, whoo! Anyway, I would really like to get over sixty reviews (I currently only have like 42), which I **_**know **_**is possible, since I've got so many people on story-alert. But whatever. Reviews are like cupcakes – you can never get enough of them! **


	6. In Which The Garlic Bread Is Eaten

**A/N: I'm back! Sorry but the chapters might not be going up as quickly, I have a very important exam to study for! Also, if this isn't the best quality, I apologize – I am trying to write it super quickly for your enjoyment!**

**DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight**

**Edward's POV:**

We only played the guitar for about thirty minutes before I noticed that Bella was wincing every time that she had to pluck a string and I proposed that we'd have a break.

"Sure!" she said, smiling.

"I'll just warm up the garlic bread, okay?" I asked before walking briskly into the warm kitchen so that she wouldn't protest. Her garlic bread can't be that bad.

I whistled cheerfully as I got out the garlic bread and stuck it in the microwave. Bella was one of the best students I'd ever had. She didn't whine that her fingers hurt, she had a sense of humor, and best of all, she didn't have a not-so-secret crush on me.

And besides, she was pretty cute, with her big eyes and pretty smile.

The microwave pinged and I took out the garlic bread, confused.

Garlic bread usually smells great, or at least garlicky. This one smelled like… chocolate?

I tried my hardest to smile and I walked back into the living room.

"Are you really sure you want to eat it?" Bella asked nervously.

"Is there something I should know?"

"No!" she practically shrieked before composing herself and saying, "No, of course not."

But the way she was anxiously fiddling with one of her earrings I could tell she was lying.

"Well," I said, clapping my hands together, "let's eat!"

"Actually, I have to talk to you about… the guitar." Bella mumbled quickly.

"Bella," I said, looking into her eyes, "why do you think your garlic bread is that bad? Look, I bet they're really good!"

I took a big bite and swallowed it before smiling and saying, "And I was right!"

The garlic bread tastes like someone's dipped the garlic into chocolate before making it. I'm not sure if I like it that much.

"Seriously?" She says doubtfully, but I can see that she's glad. It's the only thing that gets me eating the entire garlic bread and taking another one. And another one. And another one.

After I've eaten five pieces I wipe my hands on a napkin and suggest trying to play the guitar again. She smiles and says that she'd love to, but when she thinks I'm not looking she looks at the blisters on her hands.

"I can see that your hands hurt, Bella. How about we try again next Saturday?"

Bella looks up and only then I notice how pretty she looks when she's blushing. I blink in surprise. Blushing? Usually a girl doesn't look very nice when she's blushing, but Bella looked beautiful.

"Okay," she said, smiling sheepishly.

"But I have homework for you!" I blurt out. "But I left it at school. So how about you pick Nessie up on Monday and you come to my office?"

"I'll do that."

"So. I'll see you then!" I say happily, and then I help her put her guitar in its case and I walk her to the door, smiling politely all the while.

"See you!" I say, and then I close the door.

Wow.

I think I like her.

And now I have to make something to give to her as homework.

I'm smiling without realizing it. Seems like I have a new friend who I think is pretty. Tanya would not be pleased.

That's my last thought before I run to the bathroom and throw up the garlic bread.

**Not my best chapter, is it? Sorry, I promise that the next one will be better! But there won't be such a long break, I can tell you that. Maybe tomorrow? Thank you to all the lovely reviewers, you are the best! R&R :D**


	7. In Which The Truth Emerges

**A/N: Happy (late) Holidays and Happy (early) New Year! Hope you like this one!**

**Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.**

**Bella's POV:**

I was cheerful until I got home and saw Nessie with an innocent look on her face. She would've convinced me if she wasn't holding a mop, cleaning the floor. Nessie _never _cleaned if she could help it unless she was guilty.

"Nessie, what did you do?" I asked warily.

She cleaned the floor harder.

"Nessie…"

"Oh, alright." She said, throwing the mop to the floor. "You know the garlic bread you took?"

"Yes."

"And you know how I took out the chocolate ice-cream?"

"Yes."

"And you know how the lid of the chocolate ice-cream fell off while it was in the freezer and got all over everything including the garlic bread?"

"Yes – wait, what?!"

"I knew I should have told you earlier! But Jake was coming, and I didn't know that you took the garlic bread instead of the gnocchi so I just figured that-" Nessie rambled with a panicked look on her face.

"That was the strange smell," I noticed, getting slightly panicky myself, "and that was why he was grimacing. I mean, my food is usually bad but not _so _bad."

"Right." Nessie said, grimacing.

I sat down on the purple sofa before jumping up in alarm.

"Do you think he'll be sick?"

Nessie shuddered. "Chocolate and garlic?"

"Oh. Do you think he'll hate me?" I asked, worrying.

Before Nessie could answer, Jacob came out of the bathroom.

"So, Bella, you're dating Mr. Cullen?" Jacob asked, grinning.

"Jacob, I told you not to mention it!" Nessie said angrily.

"I'm not dating him." I said, going into the kitchen to prepare some spaghetti.

"Sure." Jacob said, walking into the kitchen, and looking around the fridge.

"Hey Jacob," I said, looking for the noodles, "are you staying for food?"

"You know me," Jacob said, stepping away from the fridge, "I never like leaving when food is served. But Billy said not to eat all the food since we're going over to the Clearwater's, plus Nessie told me about what happened last time you made pasta, so thanks but no thanks."

"Jake!" Nessie said furiously.

"What?" he asked, hugging her and waving at me. "See you tomorrow."

I waited until he left.

"Nessie..?"

"I felt it was my duty to tell him." Nessie mumbled.

I hugged her, laughing. "That disaster taught me a lot of things."

Nessie looked at me with awe in her eyes. "If you're going to be so nice, you can even marry Mr. Cullen!"

I just laughed.

**Hope you liked it :D**


	8. In Which Bella's Luck Works And Fails

**A/N: I can't believe the last time I posted was… did I write anything this year? Anyway, lots of thanks to twilight-vamp-sis, Little Miss Sleepyhead, TeamAliceCullen, kimicullen1721, twilightsun01, vamplover14, Someoneyoudon'tknowprobably, BellaPlusCandyGivesAlice, and princessly lovely who reviewed the last chapter.**

**Bella's POV:**

"So, Bella, how did your big date go?" Rosalie asked, her voice crackly over the phone, before bursting into crackly laughter.

"It went very well. Edward-"

"Don't you have to call him Mr. Cullen? He's your teacher, or something." Alice said with a smirk, reappearing from the kitchen with a cup of coffee.

I know, I don't know why Alice would come over instead of just calling. She says that it's because she ran out of food and didn't want to go buy her own.

But I think she might be a little lonely in her big house, so I don't complain.

"No, he specifically _asked _me to call him Edward."

"Oh whatever, I have to get ready for my date with Emmett. He's taking me to see his parents and I have to look good."

Alice snatched the phone away from me. "When's the wedding date, Rose?"

I rolled my eyes.

"She hung up," Alice said with a shrug, "so, you were telling me something about garlic bread before Rosalie interrupted. What about it?"

"Oh yeah. Chocolate ice-cream got all over it and I didn't know! He probably had food poisoning, or is dead!" I wailed dramatically.

"That's awesome!" Alice chirped.

"Wait, what?"

"Now you have an excuse to call him. Say that you just found out about the garlic bread and that you're so sorry and blah blah. You won't sound needy, you'll sound concerned and he'll think, oh, she's such a kind, considerate person…"

I had already grabbed the phone and was dialing in his number.

"Oh, hey, Edward. It's Bella."

"Bella?" he asked, sounding woozy.

This was kind of insulting.

"Bella Swan?"

"Oh. Sorry, I'm not feeling too well and I've been a bit sick."

"Edward, I'm so sorry. That was my fault. You see, the garlic bread-"

"Bella, Bella. It's okay. It'll all be good by tomorrow. Anyway. To pleasanter subjects. Will we have guitar lessons next Saturday?"

I had a flashback of him sitting next to me, polite, funny, and nice.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Oh, and-" he started before I heard a female voice ask, "Edward?"

I stiffened. I could see Alice watching me and mouthed, "Later."

"Tanya, I'll come in a second," he said to the woman before saying, "I can't speak now, Bella. Have a nice week, and see you Saturday."

And then he hung up.

"Bella, what happened?" Alice asked.

I couldn't answer her.

Who the hell is Tanya?

**Ooh… cliffhanger! I'll try and update sometime this week. Who do you think is Tanya, and what is she doing over at Edward's? **

***Note: Do not try the chocolate ice-cream/garlic bread thing on anybody you happen to like. Not everyone is as forgiving as Edward.**

**Also, three months ago it was my birthday! Yay!**


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